Device for use in climbing poles



W. L. HORNING. DEVICE FOR USE IN- CLIMBING POLES- N M ED DE 181919Patented June 13, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. L. HOR NING. DEVICE FOR USE INCLIMBING POLES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 18. I919.

Patented June 13, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WILLIAM L. HORNING, O13 DAVENEORT. IOWA.

DEVICE FOR USE IN CLIMBING POLES.

Specification of Letters-Patent; Patgntged Jung 13, 31922,

Application filed December 18, 1919. Serial No. 345,868.

men UNDER THE ACT or MARCH 3, 1883, 22 saver. L., 625.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, lVILLIAM L. Horm- INo, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Davenport, county of Scott, State of Iowa,have invented an Improvement in Devices for Use in Climbing Poles, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention described herein may be used by the Government, or any ofits officers or employees in prosecution of work for the Government, orby any other person in the United States, without payment to me of anyroyalty thereon.

In almost all large cities, there is a municipal ordinance prohibitingthe use of the ordinary projecting telegraplrpole step, made in the formof a large spike, within eleven feet of the ground, on telegraph,telephone, and electric-light poles. It is, therefore, necessary, andhas been the practice, for the linemen to carry with them ladders, oruse climbing-irons, in order to reach the lowest permanent step on thepole.

It is the object of my invention, in one form of embodiment thereof, toprovide a device in the nature of a bracket adapted. to be secured tothe telegraph pole, and a member, constituting a step, movably supported by the bracket and tiltable from the normal inoperative positionthereof, in a plane parallel with the pole, to the operative positionthereof, in a plane perpendicular to the pole. I It is a further objectof the invention to provide a modified form of structure embodying asocket-member, adapted to be carried by the pole, and an insertiblemember, constituting a step, adapted to be carried by a lineman andremovably positioned in said socket-member, when it is desired to usethe same.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which will besimple, inexpensive, and eifioient, and which will not mar the symmetryof the pole.

The invention, in its two forms, is clearly shown in the accompanyingdrawings, forming part of my specification.

Like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

@riefly described:

lfiigure l is a view in perspective of the preferred form of my device;the step be ing shown in a position perpendicular to an imaginary poleto which the device is secured;

Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view thereof;

Figure 3 is a view in front elevation, the step being shown tilted tooccupy a position at right angles to that in which it is shown in Fig.1;

Figure l is a slightly modified form of step adapted for use with aslightly modified form of support;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of such modified form of support; and

Figure 6 is a central, vertical sectional view of said modified form ofsupport.

Referring, now, in detail, to the drawings, and, first, to Figs. 1 to 3thereof:

As clearly shown, the device is made up of two principal parts, a step 6and a hollow support 1 carrying a pendent ear 2 and top, side ears 3, 3apertured at 4 for the reception of fastening means (not shown). In use,the support is sunk in the pole until the ears 2, 3, 3 are flush withthe pole, or bear thereagainst.

The front wall of the hollow support 1 is provided with a bottom orifice5 for the escape of rain entering the hollow support, so that the rainmay not be trapped therein and, in cold weather, freeze, thus for ing asolid cake of ice, preventing opera tion of the tiltable step 6.

The support 1 also carries twin guidefianges 7, 7 on its front wall,toward the top thereof, between which works the step 6.

Secured to the front wall of the support or shell 1, and disposedagainst the exterior face thereof, is a strap 8, screws 9, or the like,removably holding said strap in position. The strap terminates, at itstop, in a beak or hook portion 8 arching over the front wall 10 of saidshell and projecting into the latter, as shown in Fig. 2. The

upper edge of said beak or hook is curved, as shown at 11, and the beakacts as a fulcrum member for the step 6.

The step 6 is provided, toward one end, with a hole 12, which, when thestep is positioned perpendicularly to the pole to which the bracket orshell 1 is secured, may be engaged by a projection 13 internally carriedby the shell 1, thus holding the step against movement in the directionof its length.

The step 6 is also provided with an undercut recess 14, which receivesthe hook 8, one of the end walls of said recess being curved, as shownat 15, in conformity with the curvature of the upper wall 11 of the beak8, for an obvious purpose.

The bottom wall of the internal chamber of the shell 1 is provided,adjacent the front wall 10, with a depressed portion 16, the rear wallthereof forming a shoulder 17. In use, when the step 6 is tilted intothe position thereof shown in Fig. 3, the lower end thereof seats insaid depressed portion 16 and bears against the shoulder 17, thuspreventing accidental movement of the step toward the position thereofshown in Fig. 1. It is necessary, first, to pull upward upon the step 6,when it is in the position shown in Fig. 8, in order to release it fromengagement with the shoulder 17. The length of the recess 14 in the step6 is sufficient to permit this vertical raising of the step. It will benoted that, while the step 6 has a limited vertical movement when in theposition shown in Fig. 3, the portion of the beak or hook 8 which isdisposed interiorly of the shell 1 prevents withdrawal of the step byraising it vertically, since the lower end of that portion of the beak 8inside the shell 1 will be engaged by one of the end walls of the recess14, as the step is pulled vertically upward, thus limiting upwardmovement of the step.

It will thus be noted that the step is locked in both the horizontal andvertical positions thereof, against removal. It is also impossible towithdraw the step by pulling on it in any position thereof between thetwo positions shown in the drawing, since the step will be caught andheld either by the projection 13 or by the hook 8 being contacted by awall of the recess 14:.

Referring, now, in detail, to Figs. 4:, 5 and 6, showing a slightlymodified structure:

The step-support or socket-member 18 herein shown is an elongated,hollow body carrying, at top and bottom, lateral tongues 19, 19 havingelongated cut-away portions 20, 20, through which project securing means(not shown), such as bolts, on which nuts are threaded. The advantage inproviding slots 20, 20 instead of ordinary round or square holes, is topermit use of the bracket 18 with bolts (for successive brackets) whichmay be of varying distances apart.

The bottom wall 21 of the chamber in the bracket 18 is desirablyinclined downward from the outer end to the inner end thereof, as shown.

Depending from the upper wall of said chamber is a projection 21, whichengages a hole 22 toward one end of the step 23, to hold the sameagainst accidental withdrawal, when the same has been inserted in thesocket-member 18.

The step 23 is provided, on its bottom, with a transverse shoulder 24,which, when the step is inserted and properly positioned in the socketmember 18, bears against the outer face thereof.

It will be noted that, in this modified construction, the step 23 isremovable, and, in use, is carried by the lineman and inserted in thesocket-member, when he desires to use it.

The inner end of the lower wall 21 is preferably tapped, as shown at 25,constituting a rainor water-outlet.

It will be seen that both species of my invention are characterized by ashell which is sunk into a cavity in a telegraph-pole, thus obtaining avery firm support, and a step-member movable in the chamber of the shellto position it to support the foot of the lineman.

The device of my invention may be constructed of any suitable material,possessing the requisite strength and durability, preferably wroughtiron.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for use in climbing poles, comprising, in combination, asupporting-member comprehending a shell insertible in a cavity in atelegraph-pole, or the like, and carrying a fulcrum-member having acurved top, and a step-member projecting into said shell and tiltable onsaid curved top.

2. A device for use in climbing poles, comprising, in combination, asupporting-member comprehending a shell insertible in a cavity in atelegraph-pole, or the like, and carrying a fulcrum-member having acurved top, and a step-member projecting into said shell and having arecess provided with a curved wall, said fulcrum-member projecting intosaid recess, and said step-member being tiltable on said fulcrum-member.

3. A device for use in climbing poles, comprising, in combination, asupporting-member comprehending a shell insertible in a cavity in atelegraph-pole, or the like, a fulcrum-member detachably carried by saidshell, and a step-member projecting into said shell and tiltable on saidfulcrummember.

4. A device for use in climbing poles, comprising, in combination, asupporting-member comprehending a shell insertible in 2. hercomprehending a shell insertible in a 10 cavity in a telegraph-pole, orthe like, and cavity in a telegraph-pole, or the like, and having aninternal projection and a fulhaving a depression in the bottom Wall ofcrummember, and a step-member projectthe internal chamber thereof, and asteping into said shell and tiltable on said fulmember projecting intosaid shell and seat crum-inember and lockingly engageable by able insaid depression to lock said step- 15 said projection. member againstaccidental tilting move- 5. A device for use in climbing poles, comment.prising, in combination a supporting-mem- WILLIAM L. HORNING.

